


Stray to Stay

by old_enough_to_know_better



Category: K-pop, Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: 17 chapters later, AU - dog grooming, Aged-Up Character(s), Anxiety, Drinking, Fluff, I found Jeongin!, Light Angst, M/M, Mostly Fluff, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Swearing, first mm, i suck at ensemble pieces, stan stray kids, the dog grooming au literally no one asked for, watch my pace, where's jeongin?, why cant I finish a fic before starting a new one
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2019-06-22 21:05:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 14,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15590703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/old_enough_to_know_better/pseuds/old_enough_to_know_better
Summary: Chan's new hires in his grooming salon, Felix and Hyunjin, shake things up a bit. Is it for the better?AKA:Boys as fluffy as the dogs they own and groom.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was planning to get this more concrete and have more of my other fic out first, but I got super-inspired by My Pace! SUCH A BOP! Anywho, kudos and comments if you like this at all!
> 
> Love you! Mwah!

Changbin held Gyu’s carrier closer to him as he wove through the crowds on the street. Gyu was definitely looking scruffier than normal, but the Shih Tzu’s owner had been too sick to make it to his last scheduled appointment with Minho, his groomer. Changbin needed to pick up some treats, so he figured he would reschedule while he was at it.

Chan, the owner, was at the counter of the supplies side of Stray to Stay Grooming and Pet Supplies when Changbin finally got there. Often mistaken for an employee, Chan was only in his early 20s, with curly hair and an easy sleepy smile. He was chatting brightly with a customer around the same age, with dark hair swept up off of a broad face over even broader shoulders. Chan waved Changbin over with a grin.

“Glad to see you’re feeling better! I was worried, you’ve never missed a groom!” He peered down into the carrier that Changbin held. “And how is our pretty Miss Gyu today?”

“A mess,” Changbin replied. “I need to set up a new appointment, the sooner the better. She looks like she’s back to ‘stray’!”

Chan checked the computer quickly, tapping through a few days of the schedule. He hummed as he looked. “Well, Minho doesn’t have anything this week, or until late next week. But…” Changbin cocked his head. “Well, we have a groomer who just transferred in here who had a cancellation today, I think he’s free right now.” Changbin shugged.

“OI, FELIX!” The curly-haired manager called out.

The next few minutes happened in a blur. A boy with a smile as bright as the sun came around the corner, dressed in the shop’s uniform of black pants and a black smock with red stripes down the side. His hair was a deep strawberry blonde, swept to the side of his face. He cooed over Gyu, who responded by plastering his face with kisses. She was so easy.

They went over the details of the haircut, Changbin briefly thrown off by the deepness of the new groomer’s voice, deeper than his love for his dog. He made sure to emphasize exactly what he wanted – one length all over, with a round face, and leave the ears long. He was picky.

Felix chuckled. “Don’t worry. She’s going to love it when it’s done.” Changbin’s stomach did that little flip like when you dream that you’re falling. She. Of course the groomer thought that these were instructions from a woman. Who else would be that precise? In truth, there was no one else. This was his dog, and his alone. That was the way he intended it to stay.

“Please,” Changbin implored, “just take really good care of her.” That was a silly request. He knew Chan would never hire anyone that he couldn’t trust.

“No worries, mate!” Felix replied in English before switching back to Korean. “I think we’re going to get on great.”

Barely two hours later, Changbin was making his way back to the shop. He had gotten the notification that Gyu was ready. This time when he walked in, there were no other customers. A tiny orange Pomeranian was zooming around the counter, stopping only to yap at Changbin-the-intruder a few times before zipping to the back. Chan poked his head around the corner, calling out, “Be up in a minute!”

Changbin heard another voice, grumbling, “Stupid clean feet. Why do they have to look so good when they’re done? I hate doing them!”

“No you don’t. You love doing poodles. You love clean feet and faces.” That was Chan’s soothing voice. “Take five if you need it and come back to it. I’ll be back.” Chan’s curly hair looked just like the poodle fur on his smock as he came to the front. “Sorry about that. Hyunjin’s having an existential crisis right now.”

Changbin snorted. “How’d Gyu do?” He asked while paying the bill.

Chan grinned. “You’re gonna love it.” At that moment, Felix brought the dog in question up front. The length looked good, face was cute, ears looked short-

OMG. They were braided. Felix had taken the hair on the ears and made tapering braids down each side of the head, and if he was being perfectly honest, Changbin had never seen anything quite so cute. Okay, maybe that was a lie. His dog, complete with braids, being cuddled by this new, sunshine-bright groomer was pretty damn cute. He could feel his ears getting hot. Now was not the time.

Once Gyu was bundled back in her carrier and Felix was in the back with his tip, Changbin turned back to Chan. “Hyung, where did this one come from?”

The older boy grinned cheekily. “From Austraya!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for over 100 hits already! uahhhh! You have no idea how much that means to me!
> 
> In honor of that, and of My Pace getting almost 8M views in the first day, here's another chapter! It's a little short, but whatevs. 
> 
> As always, please leave kudos and comments if you like it!

Felix craned his neck to look up at the two dogs taking up most of the bed. It was amazing how much space they commanded, though neither one weighed more than five kilograms. Sunny was spread frog-legged, her fluffy coat standing out in all directions. A few feet away, a toy poodle was curled up, kicking his legs in his sleep. Felix was sure the little brown dog was chasing his namesakes. Squirrel belonged to Felix’s closest friend aside from Chan, a slight, chubby-cheeked boy named Jisung. Jisung was one of Felix’s first clients after moving to Korea, and they had fallen into an easy and comfortable friendship. Neither minded the other’s clingy tendencies, and if Chan minded the frequent sleep-overs, he never said anything.

Chan owned the house that Felix lived in. He owed the older so much. His job, his home, his whole new life. He had only been in the country just over a month, but he thought he was adjusting well. That is, until he tuned in to what Jisung was saying.

“We need to get you out of the house, man!” His body curved as he tried to get the car on the TV screen to respond to him faster. “You have, like, _no friends._ ”

“You’re my friend.” Felix replied, pressing hard on the buttons on his own controller. Jisung grimaced. “And Channie-hyung. And Minho and Hyunjin, too!”

“Co-workers don’t count.”

Felix shrugged. Going out meant leaving Sunny behind. He wasn’t sure how up to that he was yet. The tiny dog had a calming effect on him, especially around large group of people. It wasn’t bad enough that he couldn’t be without her at all, but honestly, Jisung was right. He didn’t have many friends, which meant he had no buffer from the crowds of strangers in public places.

That gave Jisung an idea. “Yah! It just hit me! Chan-hyung never gave you and Hyunjin a ‘Welcome-to-the-job’ party! That was so rude of him!” Hyunjin had started just a week or so after Felix.

“Sungie, that’s not actually a thing…”

“It is now! I’m telling hyung!” And with that he raced from the room to go find Chan. Squirrel lifted his head, glanced at the door his owner had just left through, then returned to his dream.

Between Chan and Jisung, it only took a few hours to get a plan in place. Next week, there would be a party for the two newest groomers at Chan and Felix’s house, which means Felix couldn’t get out of it if he tried. He had to admit, it was a pretty good plan to get him to socialize, even if the ‘get him out of the house’ part was a total bust.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over 200 views! Y'all are amazing! OwO
> 
> I had a lot of fun writing... this (read in Woojin's voice)  
> I hope you have as much fun reading it!
> 
> Please leave kudos and comments if you like it!

Felix forgot at first why Woojin was over at the house with so much food. He was also pretty sure he had never seen so much alcohol in his life. He remembered quickly about the party, the one that he happened to be one of the guests of honor for. He felt sick. Maybe they should call it off and he should get some rest?

Woojin reassured him that it’s just nerves. Nothing disastrous will happen, not with him and Chan around. Besides, there was no way that they could get notice out this quickly. People were going to come over anyways.

Felix sighed. “You right, man. Thanks. Mom friend goals right there.” Woojin just grinned his wide grin and went back to plugging in one of the speakers. Felix decided that he definitely looked good, in a not trying kind of way, in a long-sleeved black tee and light colored jeans. His hair was spiked softly off his forehead in a way that accentuated its broadness. Felix wondered for the umpteenth time about the relationship between his boss and Woojin, but ultimately decided it wasn’t his business.

Felix had barely changed into his outfit, his favorite, tight black jeans with a grey tee under a red and black flannel, when Jisung barged into his room and dragged him out. Jisung was wearing dark blue jeans with tears in the knees that actually looked like they came from falling, a denim shirt with yellow plaid sleeves over a white tee, and was carrying a blazing orange hoodie. He had apparently dyed his hair blonde since the last time Felix had seen him.

Jisung dragged him out so that they were waiting when the other guests start to trickle in. He grabbed drinks from the kitchen for them, and they nursed them as they wait for the party to start. Slowly, people started to arrive. One of the first few there was Felix’s fellow groomer, Minho, a serious looking guy in a white tank under an open black overshirt and shredded black jeans. Wow, that was a lot more thigh than Felix was used to seeing. Jisung must have been drinking faster than Felix, because he headed for the kitchen for a refill as soon as Minho walked in. Felix used that time to greet him, and a few more people filed in past them.

They both welcomed Hyunjin, who had finally showed up to his own party. He looked like he had just walked off a modeling shoot, in a loose silken top and linen pants. “Time to get my flirt on.” The tall, thin boy said.

Minho shook his head. “You know we have clients here…”

“Exactly,” cooed Hyunjin, “maybe now I’ll get some requests!” He winked as he made the room his catwalk. Minho followed a little way after him, probably to stop him from stealing his own requests.

The door opened once more, and Felix turned, ready to greet another guest. His drink had started to kick in and he was feeling more comfortable. He was brought up short by the person who walked through, though. Gyu’s owner. Here alone, no dog, no girlfriend, not that he was worried about that oh no, and looking DARK. He was head to toe in black, from his sneakers and jeans, to his cap and his hoodie that threatened to swallow his hands. Felix, embodiment of all things sunshine, was feeling it.

He was saved from acknowledging it by Jisung, who had returned from the kitchen and put an arm around his neck. “Finish that shit, I brought seconds!” Felix was sure it was thirds for him, judging by the time he had taken in the kitchen and the flush spreading on his cheeks. Felix gladly took the red cup offered to him. Definitely not beer this time. And that was fine by him.

Just then, Chan called over the mic for attention. His oversized mohair sweater made him look so soft. He thanked everyone for coming, and addressed all the clients in the room, “Please don’t hold anything that happens here tonight against us!” He got lots of laughs for that. Most of the clients were friends in some way shape or form. Then he called the guests of honor up to the mic. Felix drained his cup.

Thankfully for Felix, Hyunjin was more than willing to do the talking. That boy knew how to give a speech. Even Felix was moved, and he worked with the guy. After that the party really kicked off. Minho took over the dance floor, which was wherever he could find or make a spot. Hyunjin set up in the kitchen, declaring himself bartender for the night, despite drinking as much as the people he served. Chan and Woojin made the rounds to make sure everyone was safe and happy, like good party parents. Jisung managed to introduce Felix to one of the guests, a friend of his named Seungmin, a tall brunette wearing a hoodie from the local university and round glasses. Felix couldn’t stay and chat long, he kept trying to keep up with Jisung. While he wasn’t sure how many drinks his chubby-cheeked friend had had, he was sure he wasn’t too far behind. After spotting him attempting to dance with Minho, Felix decided to find a quiet place to sit and wait for the room to stop spinning.

It was then that he ran into the inky-clothed, almost-stranger again, nearly literally. “Oh! It’s Gyu’s dad!”

The shorter boy reached a hand out to steady him. “Seo Changbin. I have my own name.”

Felix grinned widely. “Me too! Leeeeeee Felix!”

“Well, Leeeeee Felix, you’re drunk, and—“

“You’re cute, too.”

Changbin froze. Felix continued.

“Just like Gyu. But dark. I love dark.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Stray fam! I finally had some people look over my work before I post it, so hopefully it's not shit!
> 
> Full disclosure, I've had a couple drinks~~~ UwU
> 
> Please leave comments! They brighten up my life!

Changbin shut himself in the bathroom, cheeks blazing hot. He tried to focus on his senses to calm himself down. Sound – he can hear someone laughing in the other room. Smell – there’s an air freshener that smells like the sea. Taste – he can still taste the last drink he had. Touch – the sink is cold under his hands. Sight – There are two toothbrushes, oh god, that must be Felix’s. It has a cover shaped like a dog head. A new wave of heat spread through his face.

A knock at the door finally snapped him back. He opened the door to find Minho standing there. “Are you quite done with your gay panic yet? I have to piss.”

“I’m not—It’s not—“ Changbin stuttered. Minho clapped a hand on his shoulder, pushing him out into the hallway and closing the door behind him.

Jisung ran up with a drink in each hand. “Have you seen Minho-hyung? Heaven lost an angel!” Not bothering with an answer, Changbin took one of the cups and one-shotted it, walking away.

A few drinks later, he managed to find his way to the couch. He flopped down next to a very handsome man with a face that reminded him of a teddy bear, but in a very good way. “Having a good time?” the teddy bear asked.

“Fucking dandy,” drunk Changbin answered. Leaning back over the edge of the couch, he slurred, “I shouldn’t even be here! ‘S totally blowing my image. He called me cute. The sun called me cute!” The human teddy bear laughed and Changbin whined on, “It’s not funny! I’m not cute! I’m fuckin’ badass. ‘Sides, if anyone’s cute, it’s him.”

His words trailed off as he succumbed to sleep. Those drinks Hyunjin was pouring were strong.

Woojin grinned. He loved being the sober one at parties. Drunk people were so interesting. They were so honest and open. There was no overthinking, just doing. He appreciated that every once in a while, but preferring to lower his inhibitions in smaller groups. These party-goers, though, they never failed to reveal their inner selves.

He had seen Felix’s ‘introduction’ earlier, but he hadn’t realized how much it had affected the other boy. He definitely needed to run this by Chan later. For being gray-sexual, that boy sure hated being out of the loop when it came to others’ relationships.

The party was winding down around them, so Woojin got up to help Chan get the ‘overnight guests’, AKA the over-imbibers, settled. Felix and Jisung were curled up in the young Australian’s bed, fast asleep. Dark-but-cute Changbin was hugging a pillow on the couch. Seungmin was ushering Hyunjin out the door to the passenger seat of his car, threatening the taller boy not to throw up. His punishments sounded very creative. Minho was the last of the guests to leave, he just needed to walk to his house down the block.

Chan grinned at Woojin when quiet once again reigned over the house. “Ah, having the house full of kids again. Just like the old days.”

“There were no old days, you weirdo.” Woojin shook his head.

Chan held out his hand. “Cuddle buddy? I’m beat.” Woojin gladly obliged. It had been a long day. They would make the kids clean up the mess in the morning.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for over 600 hits! It really means the world to me!  
> I hope that you're actually liking this, let me know in the comments, because I'm in deep need of some reassurance right bout now.
> 
> Thanks gois.

Chan was the first to wake up, as usual. He felt warmer than usual, and it only took seconds to remember that Woojin had spent the night. He unwrapped his best friend’s arms from around his waist and headed to the kitchen. He was glad that he had a head start on the others, because he had to clean up the kitchen before he could start on breakfast. Aside from empty bottles and red cups everywhere, and the fact that there was literally no alcohol left in his house, the kitchen had avoided most of the damage from the party.

After he cleared the cups and bottles and wiped down the sticky boozy spills, Chan began to pull supplies to make his trademark post-party breakfast. Just like back home in Australia, a good pancake breakfast was a sure bet to get Felix out of bed. As bacon sizzled in one pan and Chan flipped the pancakes in another, the strawberry-haired boy appeared like clockwork in the doorway to the kitchen. His hair was mussed to the side, and he yawned as he stretched his arms out.

“G’morning, sunshine!” Chan only got a grumble in response. He was used to the younger’s grumpiness before he had gotten any food in him. Chan’s curls bounced as he moved around the kitchen. “Is Jisung awake, too?”

Felix nodded, yawning again. “He’s in the bathroom.” He couldn’t stop staring at the food. The smell had been enough to wake the two boys from deep sleep.

“Good.” Chan flipped another pancake. “In order to get breakfast, you have to wake up Sleeping Beauty over there.” He gestured towards the couch. Felix pouted at the bacon, but Chan shooed him with the spatula. “That’s your quest.”

 

~~~

 

Sleepily, and hungrily, Felix trudged to the couch. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the occupant. It was his walk-in groom from a little over a week ago, the one with the perfect shih tzu. No, wait. There was something more recent than that. He groaned as bits of memories from the night before came back to him. His eyes flicked back up to the kitchen, where Chan was now directing Woojin. At least they weren’t paying attention to him.

 _I love dark?_ What was he thinking? At least he was right about one thing. This boy was definitely cute, looking all soft and vulnerable in his sleep. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, and Felix wondered if he was having a good dream. He was reluctant to wake him from it, but there were pancakes and bacon waiting for him. He gently nudged the guest awake, and his world suffered a small earthquake because of the sleepy smile he was greeted with before it was locked away behind a cool exterior.

“We all drank a lot last night, didn’t we, uh, Changbin, wasn’t it?” Felix tried to stop thinking about that smile. “Anyway, Chan’s making post-party pancakes for us all. Come have some.” Changbin followed Felix to the table, where Woojin had already cleared the mess, and Jisung was sitting with adoration on his face.

“Binnie-hyung!” The blond boy called out. “You’re gonna die for these pancakes!”

“Wait, you know each other?” Felix asked in disbelief.

Jisung just waved his question away. “That’s not important right now. _Pancakes_ are what’s important. Chan's pancakes are better than sex!”

Felix snorted. “Like you would know. But really, why can’t you just introduce me to your friends like a normal person instead of making ridiculous plans where I make a fool—“ He glanced at Changbin, who still seemed half-asleep, then quickly looked away and stopped talking. Just in time Chan and Woojin brought out a heaping stack of thick, fluffy pancakes and a mound of bacon. It looked like it could have fed the entire party from last night, but between the five of them, they finished in no time, and in relative silence, punctuated only by Jisung’s unnecessary moans of pleasure.

“Okay,” Chan clapped once the food was gone. “Now who’s gonna clean all this up?” The rest of the exchanged glances before answering, almost in unison.

“Changbin!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure how frequently I'll be updating. I have a few more chapters drafted, but then I hit a roadblock. 
> 
> Let me know you're with me, and you believe in me, and I'm pretty sure I'll have the strength to keep this going.
> 
> Hit me up on tweeter @StrayKnoona if you want, too.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry to all the Jeongin stans! I'm having a hard time working him into the story, so please bear with me! It should get better eventually. If you have ideas for how he can fit better, PLEASE let me know!
> 
> Minor edit on 8/25/18 to help me find a place for Jeongin in the future...
> 
> Feel free to bother me on tweeter @StrayKnoona

Changbin grumbled as he shoved trash into a plastic bag. He didn’t make this mess, at least, he was pretty sure he didn’t, so why was he responsible for cleaning it up? He wouldn’t even still be here if it weren’t for how bad he felt about blacking out on the couch the night before. He hadn’t drank that much in years. Not since—He shook his head. It was better not to let those thoughts in.

At least Jisung and Felix were helping to clean. They had the good sense to look sheepish after throwing him under the bus earlier. And except for the fact that Jisung kept throwing wadded up trash balls at Changbin’s head and trying to blame Felix, it was helpful. The two younger boys had perked up remarkably after breakfast, while Changbin was still moving slowly. He wasn’t sure how much they had drank last night, but if it was anywhere near the amount he had, they should be nursing raging hangovers.

He groaned, bringing a hand to his forehead. Something cold tapped his shoulder. An angel was standing over him with a bottle of water. “We’re all out of cups, all we have left are bottles.” It explained in its deep, rich voice.

Changbin squinted his eyes against the halo of light radiating from the being. It shifted, and Changbin realized that it was just Felix standing in front of the overhead light. Oh. That made more sense. He could feel an embarrassed blush creep onto his face as he mumbled out a thanks before downing half the bottle in one go. They finished up the cleaning in relative silence, which Changbin was thankful for. His head was pounding still.

As Changbin was leaving, Woojin handed him a pack of pain relievers. With a small smile, he told him, “Take these when you get home, then maybe take a nap. You look like you could use it… Binnie.” Changbin grimaced. He would make Jisung pay for letting that nickname slip.

When he got back to his apartment, Changbin found a note on his coffee table. _“Gyu missed you! She didn’t want to play as much today, but we had a good walk! – Jeongin”_ At least he could rely on his dog-walker. The brace-faced university freshman had proven so reliable that he had been granted a spare key to the apartment so that Gyu never had to miss a walk. His eager-to-please nature sometimes reminded Changbin of a puppy, himself.

Changbin popped the painkillers from Woojin into his mouth and chased them with a glass of water. He was getting the feeling that Woojin often slipped into a parental role. Right now, Changbin felt that he was more like a guardian angel, or a fairy godmother. He suppressed a shudder at the thought of the word fairy. It had been a long time since he had heard it thrown at him, but it still stung. He snapped out of his thoughts to Gyu pawing at his leg.

“I missed you too, baby girl!” He cooed, picking her up. Her braids were long since gone, the loose hair framing her smiling face. She looked at her owner with adoration that mirrored that on his own face. “Daddy had a rough night, princess.” He carried her out of the kitchen. “But I think I met an angel.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm greatly enjoying this ship. 
> 
> Let me know in the comments what ships are your favorite. 
> 
> I'm trying to give all of mine attention, but it's so hard when Changlix and Minsung are my bbs!

Jisung rested his chin on his palm, tapping his fingers on his cheek. “Yeah, of course, Felix.” He absent-mindedly agreed with his friend. He was pretty sure that was the right answer. That is, until he got hit with a squeaky toy.

“Mate, I was actually asking for an opinion over here.” Felix scolded him.

Jisung groaned. “Is this about your problems again, because as your friend, I have to let you know, I really can’t focus on your problems right now.” He dodged the next toy thrown at him, which was good, because that one was much harder. “Can we get back to what’s really important, like _my_ problems?”

Felix rolled his eyes. “Minho-hyung not talking to you since the party is not that big a deal. He doesn’t talk to anyone.”

Jisung slid off the counter that he was sitting on. Felix just didn’t get it. Minho was the most beautiful being alive, and Jisung had made a drunken fool of himself in front of him. He couldn’t remember exactly how many cheesy pick-up lines he had ruined by forgetting the right words, but he was sure that it was more than zero and less than – well, he wasn’t sure of the upper limit. He knew a lot of them. He was pretty sure that none of them had worked.

“I’ll bet he’s just tired, mate. He’s always tired. Have you seen how hard he works?” Of course Jisung knew how hard he was working. It was near impossible to get Squirrel in for an appointment with him, so the poor poodle was looking a little extra fluffy right now. But that didn’t mean Jisung had to like not hearing from Minho.

Felix cocked his head to the side. “You do know he’s off today, right? I mean, I like the company, but…”

Jisung sighed. “Yes, I have realized this. My ambush has failed.”

~~~

Minho let the bass from the speakers pulse a new rhythm through his body. This DJ was good. Not the best, but good enough. For a while, he was able to lose himself in the beat of the music. Like always, part of his dance was to expertly extricate himself from female admirers trying to get close. Not that he had a problem with them, but they just weren’t his type. And for the most part, they didn’t dance right for him. Not like at that party.

Minho stopped, startled. That was the first he had let that part of the night sneak back in. He had really only gone to show support for the business, and for the free booze. He had not expected a chipmunk-cheeked _child_ to attempt to pick him up half the night. Maybe if literally any of his pick-up lines had been said correctly, he might have had better luck. If he was honest with himself, Felix’s friend had gotten a little closer that Minho had intended to let him. But he just wouldn’t take a cool stare and walking away for an answer.

Minho tended to stay away from ‘cute’ so that he didn’t break it, and that was really one of the only ways to describe Jisung. Except when he danced. A switch had flipped inside Minho at that moment, so he did what he does best. Ran. That’s how he found himself at the club night after night, grinding against strangers in an attempt to rebuild his walls. But deep down he knew, it wasn’t working.

Minho left the club early that night. There was no point. He had work the next day, and attention from strangers wasn’t helping to fill the void he felt inside. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked for messages. There were seven unread. One from Chan reminding him to sleep. The next few were from former flings, he deleted those after a glance. Then he saw a message that brought him up short. Just a one line message from Jisung, _“Do you hate me now?”_

Life would be so much easier if that were actually the case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave your thoughts, or your fave SK ship below!  
> I really, REALLY want to hear from you all!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so much fun writing this chapter!
> 
> Please let me know what you think!

Felix was barely able to focus on his grooms all morning. Not great when you have a wiggly puppy under your clippers and your mind is miles away. He forced himself to ignore the fact that Gyu was back on his schedule later in the day. As cute as the dog was, he often found his mind drifting to her owner. He shook his head. This was not the time. The Schnauzer on the table needed his full attention, but how could he give it when the cutest walking contradiction ever was coming back in to see him? Felix let out a groan of frustration.

Minho glanced over at the younger groomer. “Can you keep your existential crisis to yourself like the rest of us?”

The two-o-clock appointment slot could not arrive fast enough. Felix had already driven Minho to wear earplugs all the time with his constant muttering and groaning. Even Chan was shooting him odd looks, a mixture of concern with a knowing smirk. Felix wasn’t sure exactly what he knew, but he was sure that it wasn’t going to end well for him.

Just before two, the bell over the door signaled someone entering the salon. Felix headed up front to greet them. Changbin stood up front with Gyu in her usual carrier, but he looked different today. Without a baseball cap on his head, the red highlights in his hair gleamed under the lights. He didn’t have a hoodie today, either, due to the warmer weather, so Felix was able to appreciate the broadness of his shoulders and the hint of a well-defined body beneath them.

A pointed cough from Hyunjin behind him brought Felix back to reality, and he swallowed hard. “Hi, uh, Changbin. Good to see more of you.” Shit. That was wrong. “I mean, see you again!” He could feel his face heating up, and he knew that he was blushing. “Unless there’s anything new or different, I just need you to sign here, and I’ll get started, and we’ll let you know when she’s done!” Changbin nodded, handing over his precious cargo.

Felix quickly took Gyu to the back where his fellow groomers were trying not to laugh out loud. He knew that he wouldn’t live this one down for quite a while.

 

~

 

Changbin leaned against a building around the corner from the groomer’s. Freckles. How had he not noticed that before? That boy was covered in sun-kisses all over his cheeks, his nose, even his eyelids! Changbin’s heart pounded as he thought about the blush that had made those freckles even more prominent. His face had looked so innocent, so cute, Changbin had almost lost himself. If he closed his eyes, he could still picture that face perfectly – the swoop of fading pinkish hair over dark half-moon eyes, a petite nose, full rosy lips – his eyes shot open. _‘Seo Changbin, do NOT.’_ He told himself. But the thoughts of Felix’s lips stayed with him.

They hadn’t gone away by the time he picked Gyu up, either, and Changbin was sure Felix caught him starting at his mouth. It just looked so soft, and the way he bit down on the lower lip when he was thinking was so… inviting. Changbin had kissed and been kissed before, but never had he been so drawn to a person’s lips before. Along with realizing that sooner or later he would have to face down his demons, Changbin knew, he was truly fucked.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, some Seungjin!
> 
> Sorry for the angst...

Hyunjin rolled his eyes as he cleaned his clippers. If only those two would stop being so damn stupid, they would see that they were the only things standing in their own way. Packing up, he waved a goodbye at Chan and headed out the door. His phone rang as he stepped out into the street. “Hey Seungmin, what’s up?”

“Hey, uh, sorry for the short notice, but I have to cancel tonight.” The voice on the other end seemed distracted. “I just got a huge paper assigned, and I really need to focus on it.”

Hyunjin was more disappointed than he had expected. “No, it’s okay. School is important.” He felt a twinge of regret saying that knowing that he had never even tried to get into a university. He wasn’t that much older than the dark-haired boy he had met at the party a few weeks back. “Raincheck?”

“Yeah,” the student replied, sounding distant. “We’ll figure it out.” Hyunjin was apprehensive as the call ended. There wasn’t much to figure out. They just had plans to go get coffee together. Hyunjin wanted to thank the other for helping him to get home after Chan’s party. Maybe he had read it wrong, maybe it was purely an act of chivalry, just done out of politeness. He was sure that he had done anything stupid, or said anything inappropriate to him that night. He had been too drunk to drive, not to think.

And he had let himself be looking forward to meeting up with him again. The thought of having a friend from outside his normal circles was very appealing, and they seemed to have more in common than he had expected at first. But it looked like this friendship might be over before it ever had a chance to get started.

 

~~~

 

Seungmin rested his head against the wall above his bed. Momo, his tiny Maltese, licked at his thin fingers. He smiled gently at the puppy. “I really do have papers due, you know. It wasn’t a total lie.” He felt bad about cancelling with Hyunjin, especially since his papers were nearly done, but he couldn’t shake off what he had overheard earlier that day.

_“That’s Hwang Hyunjin. I went to school with him.” The boy said, looking at his friend’s phone. Seungmin snuck a curious peek when he heard the name, and his guess was confirmed. It was the Hyunjin he had plans with. “You don’t stand a chance.” The boy told his friend._

_“Why not?” She whined._

_He looked her up and down. “Your dick isn’t big enough.” Her eyes widened. “Besides, he’s pretty, but he’s just a slut. He’s been fucking around since, well, forever! And he’s got new arm candy every week. He even went home with someone at Chan-hyung’s party! Trust me, it’s better this way.”_

Seungmin grimaced at the memory. He would not be seen as someone’s arm candy. He wasn’t someone who could be played with for a little while, then tossed to the side when a new model came out. Even for someone as cute as Hyunjin. And man, was he cute. Even more so when he dropped his guard and just let himself have fun, like in the car. They had turned it into a girl group sing-along, and Seungmin had added ‘nice voice’ to Hyungjin’s attributes.

He pulled Momo into a cuddle, running his fingers through her long hair. He might as well have one of Chan’s groomers give her a trim. She was due for it. He called the shop as a distraction, and fortunately it was Chan who answered. They booked Momo’s appointment for the next spot that fit Seungmin’s schedule, almost a week out. After that brief interruption from his thoughts, Seungmin was left with no other options. He needed to finish those papers, or he actually would be a liar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a few more chapters written after this, but I'd love to know what you all want to see! Please let me know what you want more of/less of, any ideas/comments, etc!
> 
> Also, what's your fave dog breed?


	10. Chapter 10

Woojin had always had what some people called a sixth sense. He had impeccable timing, and often knew exactly when he was needed. He wasn’t sure how, he just did. The bond existed with others, but was strongest with family. He was getting one of his feelings now. He was needed. Without a second thought, he dialed his younger brother’s number. He picked up after only two rings.

“Minnie, how are you? I barely see you anymore.” Woojin’s voice was both full of love and also a little scolding. After the younger had started university, their time together had decreased drastically. Woojin worried about his brother often.

“Hyung, I was just about to call you.” Seungmin answered. Woojin knew he wouldn’t have actually called unless something was going on. “Can we go for a walk, like we used to?”

Ten minutes later, Woojin was outside Seungmin’s dorm with Gom, his golden retriever. They were soon joined by the younger boy and Momo, and the group headed off. After a few minutes of silence, Seungmin cleared his throat. “So hyung, I know I promised to focus on my studies.” He paused. “And I am! I’m doing really well, I swear.” Woojin nodded silently. “But I need some advice.”

“I’ll help however I can. You know that.” Woojin reassured his brother.

“Well,” Seungmin continued, “there’s someone that I’m interested in.” Woojin’s eyebrows shot up. “But there are some nasty rumors about them flying around, and I don’t want to get sucked into that.”

Woojin took a deep breath before responding. “Are the rumors true?”

Seungmin stopped walking. “I – I’m not sure.”

“Would you like this person any less if they were?”

He kicked at a loose stone. “I honestly don’t know.” He said softly.

Woojin set a hand on his little brother’s shoulder. “Then I think you have some things to figure out first. And while your studies may come first, you’re allowed to have a life.”

On the way back to his apartment, Woojin made another call, this one to Chan. The salon should be closed by now, so he should be free to talk. Chan answered on the fourth ring.

“Hey. No, everything is fine. I just left Minnie’s dorm. No, he’s okay, just a little down.” Woojin tucked his phone between his ear and shoulder to unlock his door. “Yeah, he’s got a rough crush right now.” Gom ran in ahead and jumped onto the couch. “I’m not sure. I didn’t ask if it was a guy or a girl. Either way, I think he should go for it, but it’s not up to me.” Curling up into what little space was left by the large dog, Woojin chatted with Chan for a few more minutes before hanging up.

“Ah, what do I know, Gom?” He asked the golden. “I can’t even make a move. Who am I to be giving anyone advice?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there's a twist, huh?
> 
> Okay gois, I'm seriously stuck after chapter 15, so if you want me to keep updating frequently, I REALLY need your encouragement! I exist solely on praise and caffeine. Without you, this will fizzle out with my existence...
> 
> Please let me know what you want to see next, and if you have Jeongin ideas, because I'm so stuck on him...


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back y'all, but don't tell my doctor! I'm not supposed to be on the computer.
> 
> I'm recovering from a concussion right now, so if anything doesn't make sense in the next few chapters, let me know...

Minho turned the screen of his phone on and off, on and off, the bright light flashing in his otherwise dark room. He left the screen on and stared at the message displayed in stark text. _‘Do you hate me now?’_ Received three days ago. He wasn’t sure why he was so bothered by it.

He probably should have at least a fleeting dislike for Jisung. He was loud and in-your-face. He had way too much energy. He had trailed him that entire party, drunkenly hitting on him. _Maybe that’s what I need._ He shook his head. He definitely didn’t need that.

Glancing at the phone again, he saw something new. _‘No’_ Sent one minute ago. Shit.

 

~~~

 

 

Jisung’s phone buzzed next to him. It was probably another meme from Felix, he though as he grabbed the phone. As soon as he opened the message, he nearly lost control of his hands.

“Felix, I don’t know what to do!” Jisung cried out to his best friend. They were once again sitting in Felix’s room, Jisung sprawled on the bed and Felix sitting on the floor.

“Well, did you message him back?” The Australian asked.

“No!” Jisung answered quickly. “I’ve been too busy being sautéed with emotions over here!”

Felix snorted. “Well there’s your first problem. Message him back, I don’t know, use one of your lines. If he doesn’t hate you yet, I really don’t know what it’s going to take. You’ll be fine.”

Jisung threw a pillow at his friend on the floor. “You can’t just pass along a message to him at work for me or something?”

Felix wasn’t used to seeing his usually chipper friend so unsure of himself. “You mean when he’s literally surrounded by sharp objects? I think I’ll let you handle this one on your own.”

Jisung groaned. He picked up his phone again to look at the message from the night before. He knew he should just respond, and the longer he put it off, the harder it would get. But when a single word held so much meaning to him, how could he just casually reply?

Felix sighed deeply. “Okay, I have an idea. I’m going to need your nights free at a moment’s notice, and we might need to get you a little drunk again. And I’m definitely going to hate myself for this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to my TayPro. She'll know it when she sees it.


	12. Chapter 12

The salon had been quiet all day for a change. Taking advantage of the odd slow day, the groomers were busying themselves with other chores. Breaking the silence, Felix asked the others, “Sooo, any big plans tonight?”

Hyunjin chuckled. “Netflix, a face mask, and my bed.” That sounded wonderful to Felix, but he had a mission to complete.

“What about you, Minho? Are you going out?”

Minho murmured an affirmative, and to Felix’s relief, Hyunjin continued with his line of questions. “Where are you going? Is it a club? I need to get to know the clubs around here.”

“It’s called Insomnia.” Minho answered without looking up. “And yes, it’s one of my favorite clubs.”

A weight lifted off Felix’s shoulders. It had barely been a week since he and Jisung had made their plan, and things were falling into place. He messaged Jisung with the details that he had gotten, telling him to meet at Chan’s again that night. They would then casually show up at the club and ‘coincidentally’ run into Minho. It was foolproof.

Before leaving work, Felix sent another message. _“Hey, this is really random, but this is Felix, Jisung’s friend, Gyu’s groomer. A bunch of us were going to this club Insomnia tonight and I thought you might want to come too. If not, that’s cool.”_

Within minutes, he got a response. _“I know it. I’ll be there. Thanks for the invite.”_

Felix rushed to beat Jisung back to his place. Why would he invite Changbin? What was he thinking? And more importantly, what was he going to wear?

 

~~~

 

Changbin had found a table at the club easily enough. He sat facing the entrance, as he hadn’t seen Felix when he came in. The club wasn’t busy enough yet to have missed him. He did notice one of the other people from the party on the dance floor, the one who had pushed him out of the bathroom. He found himself watching the boy much more closely than he intended, mesmerized by the way his lean body moved while dancing, not failing to notice the fact that his tee shirt and jeans were so tight they looked painted on.

Tearing his gaze away, he saw Jisung moving towards him, waving both hands. He was followed closely by Felix, and behind him, the tall, lanky drink server from the party.

“Binnie!” Changbin winced. “I’m so glad you agreed to come when I told Felix to invite you! Do you know Hyunjin? He works with Felix and Minho-hyung!” Changbin managed to choke out a greeting despite the fact that the taller boy had just sized him up and winked.

After a drink and some coercion, Jisung and Hyunjin headed down to the dance floor. Felix leaned in opposite Changbin. “So here’s the scoop.” Changbin leaned forward as well. Neither acknowledged how close they needed to be in order to hear one another. “We’re all here so that Jisung can get close to Minho. Hyunjin is helping on the floor, I’m playing chaperone, and you’re… Well, I guess I just wanted the company.

Changbin’s cheeks flushed pink. He turned away again to watch the dancers, but he wasn’t really looking at them. Being that close to Felix right now was too uncomfortable. “It’s not like I had plans tonight anyways.” He said gruffly. While that was true, he still wasn’t entirely sure why he had said yes.

As if reading his thoughts, Felix half-shouted over the noise, “I’m only here for Sungie. To be real, I hate clubs. They’re too loud, there’s too many people.”

“You seem so good with people, though!” Changbin exclaimed, not expecting what Felix had said. “You always seem so comfortable with everyone.”

“Fake it ‘til you make it.” Felix chuckled. “And not everyone. But I’m like this because of Jisung. He brought me out of my shell a lot. I’d still rather hang out with just a few close friends and my dog over this, though.” At the mention of Jisung, they both looked out into the crowd. Their blond friend was east to spot, and better for him, he seemed to have found his target.

Felix smirked. “Best case scenario, I’m not taking him home tonight.” He winked at Changbin.

The shorter boy blinked a few times, dumbstruck. “Wait. Jisung likes guys? But, he had a girlfriend…”

Felix laughed at his confusion. “And you call yourself his friend. Jisung likes _everyone!_ But especially Minho. Hello? That’s why we’re here!” He shook his head. “Sungie and I have a lot in common. Not the Minho thing, no way.”

Changbin looked faint. “So you? You like--?”

At that moment, Hyunjin slid down into the seat next to Changbin. “Honey, we all do, to some degree. Stop stuttering. Some of us just pass better than the rest.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're finally starting to get somewhere!
> 
> Comments and kudos are like oxygen to me! Please give them!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a little short, but I hope it's worth it...

Minho could fell someone watching him. That sensation was nothing new. He was used to having eyes on him when he was dancing. This felt different somehow, more intense. He looked around, scanning the crowd. Up at a table, he saw Felix talking to someone. That was definitely new. Felix, as far as he knew, had never been to the club before. That must mean his little friend was here, too. Ah yes, there he was. Minho pretended not to see him and went back to dancing.

It wasn’t long before he felt a hand on his arm. Jisung leaned in to talk close to Minho’s ear. Even still, Minho had to pay close attention to hear him. “Aren’t you tired yet? You’ve been running through my mind all day.” Minho rolled his eyes at the cheesy line. At least this one had the words in the correct order. It was a step up from the last time.

As if they were thinking the same thing, Jisung followed up with, “I’m not drunk this time. Just intoxicated by you.” A small smile escaped Minho’s lips before he could stop it, and Jisung grinned. “I got you, hyung.”

_‘If only you knew,’_ Minho thought.

The beat picked up, the song a little faster, and Jisung began to dance as well, the two weaving around each other. His loose jersey flowed with every movement of his body. At one point, Jisung leaned back into Minho, and the older boy could smell his shampoo mixed lightly with his sweat. Rather than being unpleasant, the scent drew him in, and he inhaled deeply as Jisung pulled away. This was a dangerous routine they were dancing, one likely to be accompanied by hurt feelings.

After several more songs, Jisung grabbed his wrist and began to pull Minho off the dance floor.  The dark-haired boy was tired enough to humor him. Once they were away from the speakers, Jisung leaned in again. “Hyung, sometime we should—“

“Stop.” Minho said, cutting him off. He turned his head to look at the other, their faces only inches apart. “We shouldn’t do anything.”

Jisung’s expression fell. “But, I thought… Why not?”

Minho sighed. “Because I’m not a good person, and you are. You should stay far away from me, because I would break you.”

Jisung closed the distance between them. Lips grazing against each other with every word, he whispered, “Is that a threat, or a promise?” Then he took off at a run, cheeks blazing red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minsung? Ask and ye shall receive...
> 
> I only have a few more chapters left until I catch up to where I've written to. Writer's block hit hard, so I'm looking for ideas to jump-start the process again.  
> Any help from my lovely readers would be greatly appreciated!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, everyone!
> 
> More notes at the end, but for now, enjoy some Seungjin!

Seungmin scrolled through the feed of pictures posted last night by other students. He may not have been actively involved in the campus nightlife, but that didn’t mean he had no interest in it. It was more that he didn’t really understand it. His older brother used to go out to clubs when he was in school, but Seungmin spent most of his time on his academics.

He found himself browsing through photos from a club called Insomnia. Jisung caught his eye in a few shots. Seungmin was secure enough in himself to admit that he looked pretty hot. He wished he had the confidence to let loose like that. He flipped through a few more, stopping on a picture with another familiar face. Hyunjin was there? Of course he was. Seungmin shouldn’t be surprised. From everything he’d heard, that seemed like a natural environment for him.

Seungmin pushed his glasses up his nose. He had tried to force the taller boy from his mind before, but looking at his pictures made that very difficult. Every shot looked like he should be getting paid to be there. The light always seemed to find his face perfectly, his face always at a great angle. Most of the pictures were of his dancing with different people, paying attention to them, not the camera. His raven hair was slick with sweat, but still managed to look unfairly good. Seungmin frowned as he ran his hand through his own hair. It definitely didn’t fall softly to his eyes like Hyunjin’s did.

He set his phone down beside him. He had had enough of looking at pictures for one night. More accurately, he had had enough of seeing Hyunjin dancing with other people.

~~~

Hyunjin stuck his tongue between his teeth as he looked at his phone. He was exhausted after last night, and was so glad that the salon was closed today. He had no plans, but desperately needed a pick-me-up, preferably in caffeine form.

Taking a deep breath, he typed out a message to Seungmin. _“Ready to cash that raincheck for coffee?”_

Within minutes, his phone buzzed back. _“None of your guys from last night can go with you?”_ Hyunjin could taste the salt through the phone.

_”I didn’t ask anyone else.”_ He sent back. _“I’ll go alone if you don’t want to, but I really wanted to meet up with you.”_ There. His cards were on the table.

It took several minutes, which felt like hours, to get a response. _“Fine. I can meet you in 30 minutes at the café around the corner from campus.”_

Hyunjin leapt to his feet. He could be there in 25.

The café was decorated in brown and gold, a warm, inviting atmosphere. Hyunjin had been there long enough to grab a latte and a comfy spot in the corner by the time Seungmin walked in. He waved the brunette over. Seungmin held up a hand and went to order his drink first. Once it was ready, he joined Hyunjin in the corner.

Hyunjin jutted his lip out. “You know, the whole point of this was for me to buy your drink as a thank you for helping me out before.”

Seungmin shook his head with the straw of his iced coffee still in his mouth. _Cute,_ Hyunjin thought. “You don’t owe me anything. And it’s not like this is a date.”

Hyunjin flinched at the edge in his voice. “I guess you’re right. My dates are usually a little better planned than this.”

“Oh? Go on a lot of them?” Seungmin wasn’t looking at him.

Hyunjin huffed a quick sigh. “No, actually. Not for a while.” He looked down at his hands, picking at his cuticles. “I used to. I guess I thought that the more people you dated, the better your chances were of finding the right one.” A small laugh escaped his lips. “Problem is, you find a lot of wrong ones that way.”

~~~

Seungmin had never seen someone so pretty look so distraught. He had no idea what had happened in Hyunjin’s past, but he could tell by the thin line of his normally full lips that the past was best left where it was. He felt bad for digging it up this far.

Seungmin knew that a subject change was the best apology he could offer. “So, have you heard the new Japanese single yet?” He asked. “It’s pretty lit.” Hyunjin’s face brightened right away, and the younger boy knew he had made the right choice, both in subject matter and in agreeing to come to the café.

They sat there for over an hour talking and learning about each other. Seungmin found out that a torn Achilles tendon in high school had caused him to lose his track scholarships, leading him to go straight into grooming. Seungmin shared his dreams of one day owning a music label. The time flew by, and all of Seungmin’s thoughts about the rumors flew away as well. He was discovering that Hyunjin was actually a sweet person who cared more than he liked to let on about what others thought about him.

If Seungmin wasn’t careful, he could find himself falling for the handsome boy across from him. Honestly, he wasn’t feeling very careful right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't written at all on this in a while, and to be honest with you all, I'm leaving my grooming job very soon, so I'm not sure what's going to happen with this fic. I'll try not to abandon it, but I'm not going to put out half-assed work. Prepare for slow, sporadic updates as I figure out where this is going. Best case scenario, I get my mojo back soon!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A nice short chapter.

Chan leaned back in his chair, as far as he could. He had been organizing receipts and invoices for a couple of hours, and his neck was getting stiff. Tilting his head from side to side, he rubbed at his shoulder muscles. Even though he went through the inventory accounting process every month, it never got any more fun, and now with double the groomers, it was double the headache.

Chan still smiled. He knew he wouldn’t be where he was today without his team, especially Minho, the first hire in his salon when it had opened last year. To have made it this far in his career at such a young age, he considered himself blessed. A true blessing, though, would be for these expense reports to sort themselves.

He was nearly done with the pile of receipts in front of him when a key turned in the door of the locked salon. The smell of fried chicken hit Chan before Woojin entered the office. “Thank god you’re here!” Chan exclaimed. “I’m hungry as a drop bear in here!”

The pair ate their meal in a comfortable silence built by years of friendship. They had a routine. After eating, Woojin would start on the physical inventory, while Chan double-checked his numbers. Chan had never understood why Woojin was always willing to help, and never accepted any payment for it, but he had to admit, it made a tedious day much more enjoyable.

Chan cracked his neck as he rose from his chair. “Woojin, are you done?” He didn’t get an answer. He walked from his office to the store front. There he found his best friend, curled up on a mound of dog beds, fast asleep. He took a moment to absorb the sight. Woojin’s face was even softer when he slept, his strong, straight mouth parted slightly with his breath. His eyelashes fluttered gently against his cheeks as he dreamed.

With that face, Woojin could easily get any date he wanted, no matter the gender. But Chan knew that he didn’t date much, usually set-ups or blind dates here or there, rarely a second, never a third. Chan wasn’t sure why. Woojin was an amazing catch. With his teddy-like charm, warm personality, striking looks, broad toned figure, and the fact that he was an actual personal chef, even Chan felt an attraction sometimes.

That in itself was a feat. Chan would count on his hands the number of people that he had been physically attracted to in his life. He just wasn’t interested. But lately, though he tried to deny it, he had become relieved whenever one of Woojin’s dates ended without plans for a second. He found himself seeking out the older’s company more often, and thought about him more when he was gone.

Chan shook his head. _‘That’s your best friend. Don’t be weird.’_ He reminded himself as he crouched down next to Woojin to wake him. “Jin-ah,” he called as he gently nudged the older’s arm. “Time to get up.”

Woojin’s eyes fluttered open and a slow smile cracked his face. He stretched his arms out, lightly arching his back to get the stiffness out. Chan leaned forward to offer a hand up. Woojin instead pulled him down into a sleepy hug. Chan shifted as Woojin loosened his hold, but Woojin, still half-asleep, slid a hand behind Chan’s head. He pulled him in and pressed his lips against Chan’s, firmly yet gently, fading into soft, sleepy pecks until Chan broke free, cheeks aflame.

Chan was confused. What was Woojin doing? And what was _he_ doing? A kiss had never made his body feel so warm before. Usually he felt nothing. He began to worry. Would this ruin their friendship? What were they now? Who was Woojin dreaming about? Would he even remember this? And could they try it again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SAWFT. SEW SAWFT.
> 
> I want to thank everyone who reads and comments. Your comments really do mean the world to me, even if I don't always respond. (I am old, tired, and depressed. Pls cut meh some slack.)
> 
> Anywho, I brought you Woochan fluff, and things pick up a little bit from here!
> 
> Your comments and kudos are what gives me the drive to keep going, so please, leave me some writing fuel down below!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short little chapter today! Thank you for being with me still!
> 
> Wishing a very happy birthday to our lovely boys, Jisung and Felix! Congrats on making it to 18!

Felix paced down the hall of the house, Pomeranian close on his heels. Should he be mad at Hyunjin for virtually outing him yesterday? He would have eventually told Changbin that he was bi. At least, that’s what he kept telling himself. Hetero-nonconformity was a much bigger deal here than back home in Australia, and while Felix considered himself lucky to have found a group of similar friends, he knew that he would face discrimination from some. He prayed Changbin would be one of the accepting ones.

After putting on a new pot of coffee, even though it was well into the afternoon, he padded back into his room, where Jisung lay immobile. Rifling through a drawer, Felix pulled out a pair of sweatpants and tossed them at his friend. “Put these on and come join the world of the living. I’m tired of seeing you in your underwear.” His clothes from the club lay forgotten in a pile on the floor.

“Ah, just kill me now!” Jisung pleaded. “I can’t believe I did that!” He whined as he pulled on the offered pants and a tee shirt.

Felix led the way into the kitchen. “I’m proud of you, though.” He poured two cups of coffee. “That took a lot of balls, and you looked hot last night.”

“Speaking of segues, how did things go with you and Binnie-hyung?” Jisung asked over the brim of his cup. “I saw you up there talking all night.”

“Ughh…” Felix groaned. “Don’t make me think about it. He’s just so cute.” Jisung made a face. “Did you know he’s a music producer? He kept talking about the tracks they were playing, and when he gets really into something, he does this precious thing where his nose gets all scrunchy, and it’s just the cutest!”

“Okay, we get it! You’re whipped for him.” Jisung imitated the cracking of a whip. In return, Felix smacked him on the arm.

“Like you’re any better!”

“At least I did something!”

“That I set up!” Felix sighed. “Besides, I don’t even know if Changbin would be into me that way.”

Jisung tilted his head. “Huh, now that you mention it, I don’t know. In all the years I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him with or heard him talk about being with anyone. I don’t know his type.”

“Fat lot of help you are.” Felix shook his head, walking away.

~~~

Changbin pushed his chair away from his computer desk. It was no use. He couldn’t focus. The track he was working on would just have to wait. All day, his thoughts had been interrupted by a certain freckled dog groomer, and it was beginning to get exhausting.

He thought back to Hyunjin’s comment during the night. They all liked guys? He had been too shocked by the news about Jisung, who he had known for three years, to even process anyone else. He supposed that it should make him feel more at ease, but years of keeping to himself made for a hard habit to break.

 _‘Felix likes…’_ He shivered, afraid to finish the sentence even in his head. If he allowed himself to believe, he would allow himself to hope, and that could allow him to get hurt. Again. But he couldn’t forget Felix’s shy smile and shrug of his shoulders when Changbin’s eyes had met his. As he was learning, hope was a hard flame to extinguish once lit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crow, I hit 10k words on this! What a wild ride so far...
> 
> Remember, your comments and kudos fuel this fic.


	17. Chapter 17

Minho set his shears down. The Bichon in front of him had been scissored to perfection. It was a damn good looking groom, if he said so himself. After putting the dog in the holding area, he headed to the front of the shop. For once, Chan was alone. Minho marked the groom as complete in the computer and checked on his next appointment. He groaned, hanging his head.

“Chan, I can’t do this.” He told the older boy.

“If you’re not actually sick, I’m not grooming your dog for you.” Chan replied from across the room. “You’ve never had a problem with that poodle before.”

“It’s not the dog,” Minho explained. “It’s the owner.”

“Will you just groom Jisung’s damn dog so I don’t have to listen to him whining at Felix anymore?” Chan grumbled. “I swear, I should start charging him rent with how often he’s over.”

Minho sighed and pushed away from the counter. “Fine, but you owe me.” Chan just waved him away.

Minho didn’t have to wait long. Jisung was early for the appointment, Squirrel prancing at the end of his lead. Jisung’s cheeks flushed at the sight of Minho. Annoyance and experience were the only things that kept Minho’s head level. Jisung had changed his hair again, flecks of silver blue standing out against the honey blond. It looked surprisingly good.

Minho had to swallow before he was able to speak. “I’m seeing you again earlier than I had hoped.”

“Aw, hyung, you wound me!” Jisung held a hand over his heart. “You know you missed me.”

“How could I when you never leave me alone?”

“It’s just part of my charm.” Jisung shrugged. “But you know you missed Squirrel!”

“You’re both squirrels…” Minho muttered. This boy was maddening with his constant energy, but his cheeky smile had definitely lightened Minho’s day. He just hoped no one would be able to tell. After all, he had a reputation to uphold.

~~~

Jeongin walked into Stray to Stay clutching his notebook tightly. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but it sure wasn’t a groomer and a client flirting awkwardly while the dog tore apart a toy on the floor. He headed over to the tired-looking man near the cash register. “Excuse me, are you Bang Chan?” At the other’s nod, he continued, “I’m working on a paper for my class about small businesses, and I need to interview an owner of my choice.”

“Why me?” Chan asked.

Jeongin’s eyes widened. “Look what you’ve done already! You’re a pro groomer, you have international clientele, you run this whole place, and you’re only 26! Who wouldn’t want to know more about you?”

“Geez, kid, give him an even bigger ego already.” Hyunjin laughed from the doorway to the back room.

Jeongin forgot to close his mouth for several seconds. He considered himself pretty straight, but so far this business had three of the prettiest people he had ever seen working there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hecking finally, right? I still don't know what to do with our smollest bean, but at least he's here.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter already!
> 
> 10 points to anyone who can guess what happened to me today!  
> It's not difficult if you've been following my author's notes...
> 
> Answer at the bottom!

It was days like this one that made Hyunjin wonder what life would have been like had he kept his track scholarship. A rustling breeze flitted through the university campus, just strong enough to play with his hair. Students gathered in clusters along the paths, lost in chatter. Hyunjin would be a senior now had he continued his schooling.

It wasn’t even a good story of how he lost the scholarship. There was no misconduct, no academic failure, no surprise upset on the track. No, just a stupid accident. His boyfriend had been chasing after him again, his favorite dumb game of tag. Hyunjin had stepped wrong and heard a pop. It didn’t even really hurt, but he soon realized he wasn’t able to move his right foot. What hurt more was his boyfriend dumping him in the hospital, right after he got the news that the scholarship was gone. If Hyunjin had to pinpoint the start of his self-destructive cycle, that would be it.

He sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Something about these fresh-faced students brought out the memories he preferred to keep buried. Continuing along the pathway, he nodded a greeting to the braces-wearing boy who had visited the salon not long ago. At least, he was pretty sure that was him. The kid squeaked and scurried away.

He finally caught sight of the reason for his visit to the campus. Up ahead, Seungmin leaned against a cement planter, his arms crossed over his chest. As Hyunjin got closer, he saw that the younger’s eyes were closed and his hands were balled into fists.

He had just opened his mouth to call out to Seungmin when the dark-haired student stood up, facing the person next to him. He tapped the boy on the shoulder, and Hyunjin couldn’t believe his eyes when Seungmin punched him square on the jaw.

~~~

Seungmin kept his eyes shut as two people leaned near his spot against the planter. One of them had a deep voice, nice, nothing too special, and the other laughed too loudly. They were seniors he uickly learned, given the fact that they talked a lot, about everything, including this, their final year. Seungmin himself was a junior, and young for his class.

He wished Hyunjin would hurry up. The incessant chatter was beginning to give him a headache.

“Hey, isn’t that the guy that you wrecked back in high school?” The boy with the loud laugh asked.

“Mm.” Deep Voice responded. “That’s definitely Hyunjinnie.” Seungmin’s ears perked up. “Damn, he’s even more fine than he was back then.”

Another loud laugh. “Almost make you regret dropping that ass?” Seungmin’s short nails dug into his palms.

“Nah, he was dead weight. What good is a track star who can’t run?” They both laughed. Seungmin’s vision turned red at the edges. “Besides, it’s not like he was putting out any—“ His words were cut off by Seungmin’s fist connecting with his face.

Seungmin stood, arms stiff at his sides, chest heaving. He had never hit anyone before, but this had seemed like the perfect time to start. He didn’t notice the loud whispers from all around him, or the person running towards him. He was focused solely on the pitiful creature in front of him, and making sure that he was done talking about Hyunjin.

It wasn’t until Hyunjin himself grabbed Seungmin’s throbbing hand that he stopped glaring at the boy on the ground. Giving his arm a gentle tug, Hyunjin said, “Come with me, now!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the answer to our fun little game:  
> I got another concussion today! Spent 4 hours waiting to be seen in the ER, since this one happened at work. I deffo need a new job.
> 
> Let me know if you guessed it!  
> Also, let me know what you think of the chapter! I had some fun with it...


	19. Chapter 19

Woojin unbuttoned his sleeves, pushing the cuffs up his arms. He frowned at the cupcakes in front of him. Baking was not his specialty, but he wasn’t half bad. He was trying out a new recipe at home before adding it to the menu for his clients. These apple cinnamon cupcakes were tasty, but they were missing something. He snapped his fingers. Caramel! Grinning, he set to work making the frosting.

The bell over the salon door jingled as Woojin pushed his way through. He carefully carried the large cardboard box in front of him, keeping its precious cargo safe. He had made too many cupcakes, but as luck would have it, he knew a few groomers who could help him with that. He kept telling himself that that was the reason, and not that he had made the cupcakes as an excuse to visit Chan, who had been acting distant lately.

Felix was the first to sniff out the sweet treats, to no surprise of Woojin. He ushered the older boy back to the staff room, where Hyunjin sat absorbed in his phone. Eery so often, he would sigh, then send a message.

Woojin couldn’t stand it anymore. “Felix, you live with him. Has Chan been weird lately? Has he said anything to you?”

Felix looked up with a mouth full of cupcake and eyes full of questions. “Now that you say something, he’s been kinda distracted.” He swallowed. “But wouldn’t he tell you first if something were wrong? Aren’t you guys, like, besties?”

Woojin sighed. “I mean, I thought so, but now, I’m not so sure…”

Felix nodded. “There’s one way to be sure, man.” Woojin looked up, but then threw a cupcake wrapper when Felix began vocalizing to a spy movie theme song.

Hyunjin spoke up, still looking at his phone. “Just talk to him.”

He was right. Damnit. Woojin put a few cupcakes on a plate and took them to Chan’s office. The curly-haired boy had his hands on the keyboard of his computer, but he wasn’t typing. Woojin cleared his throat.

“I brought snacks.” He said, slowly entering the room. Chan mumbled a thanks, his cheeks pinker than normal. After a moment of silence, Woojin spoke again. “Is everything okay? Things seem… off. Did I do something wrong?”

Chan’s eyes widened, and he coughed slightly. He took a drink from his water before answering. “You don’t remember?” He whispered.

“Remember what?” Woojin asked. “I – oh god.” His face instantly flamed red. It wasn’t a dream. The timing fit perfectly. The awkwardness since inventory. It all made sense now. He had kissed his best friend. “I’m so sorry! I crossed a line. Oh god. You don’t—I didn’t – Shit, I’m stupid. You don’t do that and I respect that.”

Chan laughed. Woojin’s panic over respecting him was the cutest thing he had seen all day, and he worked with dogs for a living. “Babe.” That one word was enough to stop Woojin’s rambling. “Relax. I’m not mad.”

“You’re not?”

Chan walked around to lean against the desk facing Woojin. “I may not be that interested in sex, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be interested in you.”

Woojin opened his mouth, but when nothing came out, he closed it again. This was not what he was expecting. Nor was Chan leaning down over Woojin’s chair, one hand on either arm, pinning him back into the chair. Chan’s face was so close, he could feel the warmth of his skin, smell the scent that was Chan’s alone, so familiar. Even closer now, Chan gently, tentatively, pressed his lips against Woojin’s, just for a second, grinning sheepishly as he pulled away. Woojin felt like he might explode.

Brushing the hair away from his forehead, Chan said, “You are the first person I’ve wanted to kiss again.” He looked away. “So there’s that.”

Off went the fireworks in Woojin’s heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some nice soft WooChan for you!
> 
> I haven't been writing much lately, I'm sorry... I've been so busy working on fan projects for The Rose!
> 
> I should get back in the swing of things soon, please be patient!


	20. Chapter 20

Jeongin picked at his cuticle as he triple checked that everything was ready. He had never set up an event before, minus a dorm party, and to be using someone else’s business was daunting. Chan had reassured him that this was a good idea, but he was still nervous. After getting a perfect grade on his paper, Jeongin had stayed in touch with the salon owner, and had approached him with the idea for a ‘Puppy Party’, where clients could meet and interact with the groomers, and their dogs could spend some time playing. Chan was immediately interested, and it took off quickly from there.

Jeongin waited anxiously with his own dog at his feet, a black and tan Jindo. This was Bruno’s first time being a greeter, and so far, he was uninterested. Felix and Sunny, and Woojin and Gom, had arrived early to help Jeongin and Chan with preparations. One glance was all it took to tell that the tiny Pomeranian was in charge of the two larger dogs. Sunny had even taken Gom’s toy for herself, and seemed quite pleased, despite Felix’s scolding for her lack of manners.

Seungmin and Hyunjin came in together, Momo running between them. She made a dash for Woojin as soon as she was off-leash. He picked up the Maltese, quirking an eyebrow at his brother’s bruised hand. Seungmin silently begged him not to ask. Hyunjin moved to help Felix in the play area, where he was greeted with a teasing elbow to the ribs.

“You two are getting along well.” Felix pried.

Hyunjin snuck a glance at Seungmin. “Felix, he literally punched someone in the face for me. Just because he didn’t like what they were saying about me.”

The blond’s jaw dropped slightly. “Mate, that’s serious. Like, next level. I love you, bro, but even I wouldn’t do that.”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes. “Way to bro me.” He jerked his head towards the entrance. “I bet you’d do it for _him_.”

Felix followed the elder’s head tilt. It wasn’t long before he saw who the ‘ _him_ ’ was. At the back of a group of people was Changbin, looking like he wanted to disappear. Felix waved him over while answering Hyunjin, “In a heartbeat.”

 

~~~

 

Once again, sunshine was beckoning him. And once again, Changbin was finding himself too weak to resist its call. He tried to tell himself that it was for Gyu. She liked the upbeat groomer, so Changbin was here for her, right? Even he wasn’t fooled. But neither was he fully ready to admit his creeping suspicion that he was beginning to catch feelings for this boy.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Changbin and Gyu joined the others in the play area. Besides Sunny, Gom, and Momo, there were five other dogs, Gom the largest, Momo the smallest. Changbin sat on the floor near the two groomers while Gyu joined the fun.

“So that kid set this up?” Changbin got a nod from Felix. “Not a bad idea.”

“He’s pretty impressive.” Hyunjin added. The three made small talk until another group of people entered the building.

“I should go see if Chan needs anything.” Hyunjin said, getting up. “You two keep playing with the pups.”

An awkward silence fell over the room as the tallest left. Jisung stopped in to drop off Squirrel, winked at Felix, and walked back out. The silence remained.

“Caw caw caw…” Changbin crowed softly, willing to do anything to end the quiet. Felix gave him a curious look, but Changbin just cracked a sheepish smile.

“Ah, there it is! I knew I’d find a smile again!” Felix laughed. “You’re an odd character, Mr. Seo. Did you know that?”

“They tell me every day.”

“I like odd.”

“It’s a good thing, because I can’t even.” Changbin quickly shut his mouth as Felix burst out laughing. He turned away, face on fire with embarrassment. He may as well just out himself in a giant glittery rainbow.

Felix wiped tears from his eyes before he spoke. “I like you, Seo Changbin.”

Changbin froze. What did he mean by that? Like, as in he’s funny, or they’re friends, or did he _like_ like him? Why were words so confusing? Why couldn’t everything just be simple?

“We should hang out sometime. Just us.”

Oh. That was a little less ambiguous.

Changbin took a deep breath and gathered his courage. “Lee Felix, are you asking me out?”

Felix chewed on his lower lip. “I mean, only if it’s okay with Gyu.”

At the sound of her name, the shih tzu yapped and bounced over to lick Felix’s fingers. They took that as a yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She lives! Sorry for the looooong wait for an update! Inspo has not been coming lately.
> 
> I have a few ideas of things that I want to happen, I'm just not sure how I want to get there, so bear with me, folks.


	21. Chapter 21

Jisung leaned against the counter of Stray to Stay, watching as the crowd dwindled. Squirrel was still tearing around the playroom, zigzagging around the obstacles of exhausted dogs. The poodle had definitely given everyone a run for their money.

Jisung smiled. Now that most of the people had left, he was able to observe all his friends more closely. Felix and Changbin had fallen asleep in with the dogs. It was an endearingly domestic scene. Hyunjin was leaning in to Seungmin, every so often shaking his head. They seemed very serious. Chan was talking to Jeongin, but his eyes were on Woojin, who’s face seemed more flushed than it should for the amount of tidying he was doing. And Minho was missing.

Jisung knew he hadn’t left out the front door, he definitely would have seen him. That just left the back of the shop. Glancing around, Jisung made sure no one was paying attention to him before slipping past the ‘employees only’ sign to go look.

It didn’t take long to find Minho, even though he was in the very back of the building. He sat sprawled on the sofa in the staff room, his tie undone and an extra shirt button popped. His head was thrown back over the sofa, his eyes closed. Jisung couldn’t bring himself to move, his voice was caught in his throat. He had never seen someone so effortlessly sexy before. Well, excluding all previous times he had seen Minho.

Regaining his composure, Jisung marched over and plopped down on the sofa like he had every right to be in the staff room. Minho’s eyes shot open. He stared in astonishment at the blondish boy sitting beside him.

“Some party, huh?” Jisung broke the silence.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t know.” Minho grumbled. “I’ve been trying to avoid it.”

“And here I thought it was just me you wanted to avoid.” There was just a hint of bitterness in Jisung’s voice. He couldn’t help it.

Minho sighed, leaning his head back down again. “I told you I was going to end up hurting you.”

“No!” Jisung snapped. “’You said you’d break me! And you were wrong. I’m not broken. I’m fucking pissed! I’m over here trying my ass off like a dumbass while you think feel is a four letter word. It is _exhausting_ trying to get through to you!”

Jisung stood up and began to pace, Minho’s eyes on his every move.

“You think you’re hot shit just because you’re hot as shit, but I don’t buy it. I’m tired of your stupid game, and your stupid attitude, and your stupid perfect face, and your sexy fucking body—“ He stopped short, wide-eyed. “I’m leaving now.”

 

~~~

 

Minho watched in shocked silence as the squirrel boy ran into the doorway in his mad dash out of the room. Nothing could have prepared him for the angry tirade, and even less so for the wild tangent that it took at the end.

He chuckled. It wasn’t the first time he had been called exhausting, and probably wouldn’t be the last. But Jisung was wrong about one thing. Minho didn’t think he was hot shit. He usually wished he could disappear into the crowds of strangers.

Minho ran his hands through his hair. Maybe feel _had_ been a dirty word for long enough. Not that Jisung needed to know that. Oh no. And now that Jisung had spilled his hand, Minho was coming up with a plan. He may be tired of the ‘stupid games’, but Minho was just getting started. And if Jisung didn’t break, then maybe, just maybe, he deserved to stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am YOU has me SHOOK. every song. there were tears. my roommate thinks I'm nuts. idek.
> 
> hope you enjoy Jisung going OFF!


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT LIVES!
> 
> Welcome back, new and old readers!

Well, that wasn’t a _total_ disaster. Jeongin smiled to himself as he tapped out an update to his classmate Chaeryeong. She had helped him come up with many of the details for the Puppy Party, and without her help, Jeongin knew he would have been stuck. Tucking his phone in his pocket, he looked out at the few people left. He had been surprised to see his dog-walking client, Changbin, and even more surprised at how soft he seemed tonight. How interesting. Seungmin, from some of his classes, was there too, talking to the unearthly pretty one. Jeongin didn’t like the pull he felt in the pit of his stomach when he thought about him, so he distracted himself by helping Chan clean up.

“Seriously Jeongin, relax! We’ve got this.” Chan assured him, nodding at Woojin, who simply shot a thumbs-up back.

“I don’t feel right making this mess then not helping,” Jeongin argued. “At least let me take the trash out.”

“You heard the kid,” a voice called out from the doorway to the back. “Hyunjin, he’s taking you out.” A lean, dark-haired man with cat-like features, Minho, Jeongin was pretty sure, leaned against the wall. He smirked, and the hamster-looking kid behind him dropped his jaw, wide-eyed.

“Burn, Jinnie! Take that!” He laughed hysterically.

“No, but I- I… Th-that’s not… I didn’t…” Jeongin stuttered. This was bad. “That’s not what I meant!” He finally managed to get out.

Tall, dark, and not trash at all smiled softly. “We know.” He huffed out a breath. “Mean-hoe’s just a dick.” Minho clutched at his chest as if he’d been wounded. Hyunjin continued, “We’re all gonna grab some food after we finish up here and run the dogs home. Wanna join?” Seungmin nodded from beside him.

Jeongin looked around the room. It was filled with warm faces, mostly. He still wasn’t sure about Minho, but there was something about the glint in his eye when he looked at the round-cheeked boy that still put Jeongin at ease. With a start, Jeongin realized what he was feeling. Home. He had found a home with this ragtag group of eight.

Grinning wide enough to show off his newly-straightened teeth, he nodded eagerly. “Let’s go!”

 

~~~

 

Seungmin sat wedged in the booth between Hyunjin and Jeongin. The only place their group would fit in the diner was the rounded corner booth, and it was still a tight squeeze. Something told Seungmin that this wasn’t an issue for many in the booth. Woojin had an arm lazily around Chan’s shoulder, while Chan tried to fight off a well-deserved nap. Seungmin caught his big brother’s eye and mouthed at him to get a room. He got a fist shaken at him in return. That was all the confirmation he needed. He smiled. Good for Woojin. He was truly happy for his brother.

Seungmin tuned back in to the conversation happening around him. Jeongin was happily babbling about a man in Russia who bred and sold domesticated foxes as pets. Apparently, it was his life’s goal to own one. Hyunjin had his head resting on his fist, listening intently. Seungmin went soft. He looked so cute. He shook his head. Now was not the time. Not when all their friends were around. Later. Later was a much better time to deal with any blossoming feels and their ramifications. Or never. Never was good, too.

“You good there, kid?” Minho asked. Seungmin jumped in his seat. He didn’t realize anyone was paying attention to him, least of all Minho.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine.” He answered. “Just, uh, thinking.”

Minho laughed, a soft, melodic sound. “Don’t think too much. Your face will stick like that.”

“Hey!” Hyunjin cried out. “I like his face.” His eyes widened as he realized what he had said. Then he shrugged, a satisfied smile on his face. “And I don’t care who knows.”

Seungmin wished the booth would open up and swallow him whole. His face was on fire, and he could feel seven pairs of eyes on him. Watching. Waiting for his next move.

“Ilikeyourfacemore.” He mumbled, so softly the opposite side of the table strained to catch any of it. Unfortunately for Seungmin, they heard enough.

In between the cheers and clapping, Seungmin just barely heard Hyunjin say, “We have a lot to talk about, don’t we?” He nodded. This was not going as planned.

 

 ~~~

 

 

This was not going as planned. Hyunjin had been in the midst of working out how he was going to confess, where, and when. It was going to be perfect, sweet, and romantic. It was not going to be in a crowded diner, spur of the moment, and especially not while pressed up against Changbin.

Ah, but the best laid plans of mice and men…

At least the yelling was finally over. Jeongin hadn’t yelled. That made him Hyunjin’s new favorite friend. Excluding Seungmin, of course. Everyone else was cancelled.

Hyunjin knew he’d never get any peace now. But in the long run, he supposed it would be worth it, if only Seungmin returned his feelings. He couldn’t remember ever being this concerned about how a crush had felt about him before. He wondered if it was because he was worried about losing a friendship. Whatever it was, it was only slightly eased by the impromptu confession. Doubt gnawed like a beast at his stomach.

Seungmin flicked him a small, timid smile, and the beast stilled. Then, without warning, Jisung sprayed water out his nose. While Minho looked on in what appeared to be disgust, Seungmin laughed along with the rest of the table. No reservations, no holds barred. Hyunjin loved that laugh. Oh. He swallowed hard. _Oh._ That was interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, that was quite the hiatus, huh?  
> Anywho, I'm alive, I finally found a little bit of inspo, and here we are.
> 
> I saw the boys in Newark, got a group photo and a hitouch, got to show them my tattoos, and I'll never forget the looks on their faces when they realized that I have their lyrics on my body permanently.
> 
> It's not an exaggeration to say that SKZ has saved my life.
> 
> I hope I didn't disappoint with this new chapter, and I'm not sure how often I'll be updating, but at least I'm here, y'know?


End file.
